Where is Switzerland?

Located in the west part of central Switzerland, Bern is the Federal Capital of the country with more than a quarter of the residents being foreign-born. This medieval city is the fourth most populous city in Switzerland with 36 municipalities. Most of the entire city is a UNESCO world heritage site with many well maintained medieval structures that attract tourists from all over the world. Throughout the year, the warm and temperate city receives some form of precipitation with no real dry season.

Switzerland is a European country covering 41,277.00 km2 of which 3.10% is water and 39,997.00 km2 is land. This makes it the 63rd smallest country in the world and slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey. Its geographic coordinates are 47 00 N, 8 00 E and Bern is the capital city.

The name of the country derives from the canton of Schwyz.

Its ISO code is CH.

Geography

Switzerland has a mean elevation of 1,350 m above sea level.

It has a desert climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Its terrain is mostly mountainous with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and lakes.

Population

Switzerland has a population of 8,179,294 making it the 97th largest in the world. The majority of the population lives in the northern and western areas.

German, French, and Italian are official languages. The major ethnic groups are described as German, French, and Italina. The population is mostly Roman Catholic and Protestant.

The official languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian, and Romansh. These languages have slight variations from their international use and, within the country, also has some variations from region to region. Most schools teach English but it is not among the official languages. This country is linguistically diverse because of its geographic position and the fact that it opened its borders to many immigrant communities who continue to influence the linguistic andscape. German is the language of the majority. Switzerland also has minority languages from Scandinavian, Slavonian, Asian and African origins.

Government

Switzerland is an independent country. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291. Its constitution was last ratified in 1999.

Switzerland is a semi-direct federal democracy where citizens can vote on any matter of national importance like a change in law or a referendum. The government consists of the Federal Council, Federal Supreme Court, and the National Council and Council of State. The executive elects a president amongst themselves on an annual basis who is a ceremonial head of state. The executive and legislature conduct their business in the Federal Palace in Bern and the executive lives in the estate of Lohn. In Switzerland, the citizens of voting age vote through post or directly going the polling station.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Switzerland's GDP is $496,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $59,400.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 39th largest economy and its citizens the 17th richest in the world. The currency of Switzerland is the Franc (CHF).

Its major export partners are Germany, the United States, and Hong Kong. Its main exports are machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, and agricultural products. Its major import partners are Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its major imports include machinery, chemicals, and vehicles.

Flag

The Swiss Flag, or simply the Swiss, has its roots in the twelfth-century Swiss Confederacy movements. With permission from the Holy Roman Empire, the cantons first displayed the insignia on their military uniforms and later as flags. During the different periods of war and peace, the flag changed in dimension and properties but remained in the sole use of the military until late twentieth century when the country officially adopted the flag. The Swiss is one of only two square flags in the world. Today, the flag is one of the most recognizable in the world and some international humanitarian agencies have adopted its use.